glossary
Americannoun
plural
glossaries-
a list of terms in a special subject, field, or area of usage, with accompanying definitions.
-
such a list at the back of a book, explaining or defining difficult or unusual words and expressions used in the text.
noun
Other Word Forms
- glossarial adjective
- glossarially adverb
- glossarist noun
Etymology
Origin of glossary
1350–1400; Middle English glossarye < Latin glōssarium difficult word requiring explanation < Greek glōssárion, diminutive of glôssa tongue, language; later taken as a collection of such words, by construing suffix as Latin -ārium -ary; gloss 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ms. Crawford interweaves her endearing characters’ voices in wonderful ways and includes a glossary of their “Glesga patter.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
A glossary of technical terms is updated regularly with new entries.
From Barron's • Nov. 6, 2025
Here, you’ll find a glossary breaking down what all the ridiculous terms that get batted around when talking about crypto actually mean.
From Slate • Mar. 28, 2025
My editor appreciated the authenticity right from the start, including the nuanced Hawaiian Pidgin English some of my characters speak, and the value-added glossary I provided at the end.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2025
These are sometimes called Asiatic, Attic, and Rhodian: hence “Atticism” and “Asianism” in this book’s glossary.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
